Numbers 24:17 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Comment: This is the first time the word “Star” appears in our Bible. Not the plural word “stars” which we find in Genesis describing Creation but a singular Star! A special Star! A unique Star with a purpose and destiny! A Star that would save some and destroy others! Wise men today still follow this Star! God is light! No darkness or shadow of turning with him! It does not matter where you live on this earth or your ethnic background you can still follow Jesus! You can follow the Light or reject the Light! Your destiny depends on what you do with the Light! King Balak of Moab tried to get the wise man Balaam from historical Babylon to curse Israel! Balaam tried but it took a donkey to convince him this was not possible! The Scepter shall rise out of Israel! That is a King! Jesus is referred to as King of the Jews! They posted this above his head on the Cross! King Herod the Edomite felt threatened by the Star! He wanted to be King of the Jews! He even rebuilt the Temple and called it Herod’s Temple! The wise men from Babylon knew of Daniel’s prophecies because the Jews along with Daniel were captive there for 70 years! However they did not know the prophecy of Micah predicting Bethlehem as Jesus birth place because it had not been given yet! God’s GPS was a single Star to a specific place to follow! They did not need all the prophecies as you probably do not know you just need to follow the Star! Follow Jesus the Light of the world! He will guide you into paths of righteousness! The right choice leads to the right place! Today like Herod there are some that do not want to follow Jesus! They want to kill Jesus and his followers like Herod! Jesus will illuminate your soul with light! Truth! Peace! Joy! Everyone will either choose light or darkness! Like Jesus asked Peter who do you say I am? Who do you say he is? Where else can I go for Salvation? The Christmas story has implications on your life because it is true! Herod did not discount the scriptures as Balaam did not! What is at stake is the condition and position of your soul! When Balaam recognized his error he prophesized Numbers 24:17! When Herod recognized his error he tried to cover it up with the blood of the children of Bethlehem! Those that reject Christ and his atoning blood will try to cover their sin with the blood of others like Cain who slew his brother Abel the first murder on earth! Every ideology that rejects Christ will turn on Christ and his followers! It can be abortion! Socialism!, Communism! Fascism! Nazism, Darwin! Islam! Atheism! The list goes on and on! With Christ living inside of us we have the benefits of Heaven while still living on earth! Jesus has gone back to Heaven to prepare a place for us! All the rest of the benefits await us in future time! Twinkle twinkle little star how I wonder where you are? Merry Christmas! James & Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: star
Watch! Witness! Worship!
These three words describes the actions of all the participants of the first Christmas night! Jesus light pushes back the darkness of your life! The Angel’s, the wise men and the shepherds all watched that night in great wonder! God did not accomplish the birth of his Son all by himself! He engaged the help of his creation to get the job done! From the lowest to the highest in cultural rankings he used people who were watching for him! The shepherds were raising a special breed of sheep! They were broad tailed sheep that were only used for sacrifice! Remember Cain and Abel? Cain’s vegetarian sacrifice was not accepted by God however his brother Abel made an animal or blood sacrifice that was acceptable to God! Abel was a shepherd! The Shepherd’s were culturally familiar with every manger in Bethlehem! By contrast the wise men of the East were men of science studying the scriptures and astronomy! They could have been Persians, Iraqis or even Jews! The Arab’s would have been familiar with the Jewish scriptures since the Jews were captives in Babylon for 70 years! We assume there were three wise men from the three gifts however traveling across the Arabian desert would require a caravan of people for supplies and safety! These men were wise because they were watching for God! They were looking for him! Are you looking for God? They had read the scriptures and were looking for that special star! They were educated in the sciences of astronomy and scripture! They were so familiar with the stars they would recognize a new star! Are you so familiar with the scriptures you would recognize Christ’s second coming? So they watched the scriptures and the signs in the heavens! The Angel’s watched that night from Heaven and earth! They were watching those who were watching for God! If you want God’s attention look for him! You may have temporary success in this life and people will watch you for awhile but then they will move on to the next celebrity! They will forget you! When we get God’s attention he will remember you forever! King Herod was not looking for Jesus! However when he discovered he had missed Jesus he took revenge on the small babies of Bethlehem! When the world misses Jesus second coming they will cry and wail and take revenge out on one another! This season is a great opportunity for us to watch, witness and worship Jesus! If you do eternal life with Christ is the gift under his tree that will never perish! Source: Pastor Oscar Cope Message. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Thoughts about the Star!
This star is not an astronomical object! The star appeared at the moment of Jesus birth. It was visible to the wise men of Babylon. If they saw the star over Israel, it would indicate it was not astronomical because stars do not rise in the west! They rise in the east. If it rose in the east it was very special because star gazers like these wise men would not have difficulty recognizing the planet Venus! Traditional images show the wise men traveling over the desert following a star. However Matthew 2 does not say they followed a star to Israel. In fact, it would appear, from their reaction, that the star newly reappeared in Matthew 2:9. How could a star go before the wise men? Bethlehem is to the south of Jerusalem! Stars do not move south. They move west. Stars do not settle over houses. The Greek word for star (Aster), implies something strewn! What could it be? What could it be that moves easily from west to east appearing as strewn light? A pillar of fire would be a good example! Remember the Shechinah Glory of light that moved with the Tabernacle representing the presence of God? This light could have been interpreted as a star! It is believed the wise men reached Bethlehem about 2 years after Jesus birth. That is why Herod ordered the murder of the children 2 years and younger! Source: CreationToday.org Comment: Point here is you cannot explain this star or light naturally! It was supernatural. Very seldom does God oppose his creation! Only to deliver his people! He turned the sun and time back for Joshua to win the battle! He opened the Red Sea for Moses and drowned the pursuing army with the same sea! Mary bore Jesus yet being a virgin! Jesus raised the dead and has promised to raise those who believe and trust him! Jesus himself was raised from the dead! Peter at midnight was delivered from the prison! Do I believe in miracles! Absolutely! Jesus delivered me off my death bed some 45 years ago! Is it a stretch to believe God at his word? It is a stretch not to! God who created all this can change anything or everything at his will! He transformed me from sin to righteousness with his atoning blood! Was it a star? All things are possible with God! He can create anyone he wants to! He can create anything he wants to at anytime at any place! He came to Bethlehem so he could prepare a place for you in Heaven! Why not follow Jesus to Heaven! He will return one day soon to earth with his church! If you wait until then to follow him it will be too late! Wise men still seek him! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Is Jesus Just a Gardener to You? John 20:15
Just as with Mary at one time in my life Jesus was just a gardener to me! As long as you do not look for Jesus you will never see Him! Mary Magdalene was the first disciple to recognize Jesus after His resurrection from the dead! Death seems to close the door on our personalities but really it does not! Remember the rich man and Lazarus? One life carried on in Heaven and the other life in Hell. Jesus carried on after his death the same way He was before death! Jesus disciples wrote Jesus off after the Crucifixion! Peter and John had preconceived idea’s about Jesus before they entered the tomb! They looked around the empty tomb and saw the grave clothes then fled and went into hiding from the Romans and the Jews! What they saw confirmed what they believed! This whole thing is a hoax! Mary hung around the tomb weeping because there was no body there to anoint for burying? Mary had experienced Jesus power for He cast 7 demons out of her! Yet she let death close the door on her faith and thought the man speaking to her in the tomb was a gardener! Then the voice and light of Jesus opened her eyes! Rabboni! Rabbi! Master! Jesus is always present even if you do not see Him! Just as a blind man can feel the rays of the sun so you can feel Jesus love! The stars shine brightest in the darkness of the night! After Jesus delivered me from death I could only see Him and experience His love! My allegiance and devotion turned to Him! Rabbi! Master! Power over death! Jesus was no longer a gardener to me! The Resurrection took on a whole new meaning! It was no longer just a religious story I heard once a year at church! Do you want the reality of Jesus or just a once a year story? You do not want to wake up on the wrong side of death as the rich man did! Either a Heaven or a Hell? The reality of Christ will one day come to all the living and the dead! Just so it is not too late for you! Chance and choice only come once to every individual. Wise men and women still seek Him! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
God’s Immigration Policy! John 3:16
New World Quote; “And I say that your Highnesses ought not to consent that any foreigner does business or sets foot here, except Christian Catholics since this was the end and beginning of this enterprise, that it should be for the enhancement and glory of the Christian religion, not should anyone who is not a good Christian come to these parts. Here may be found the first suggestion of the exclusive Colonial Policy that Spain and the other nations followed.” Christopher Columbus. Comment: God’s immigration policy is honest and fair! Everyone can apply regardless of sex, race or ethnic origin! No one is denied based upon their past! Everyone who chooses Christ and cast their vote for Him and accepts the terms of the agreement is in! Your parents and grandparents cannot choose Him for you only you have to decide! We are all destined for Heaven or Hell or one of two Kingdoms! This is why the little baby born in Bethlehem is a big deal. What we do with God determines what God does with us! God first loved us! If we do not get that we can miss everything else! Ben Shipiro is a smart young Orthodox Jewish kid who I like to listen to his debates with liberals! He believes the Messiah when he comes will be a political figure! I share with him that the political figure who will rule the world for a short seven years will be a Jew and gay but he will be the Anti-Christ! Our Christ is a Jew and so will be the Anti-Christ! Along side the Anti-Christ will rule the False Prophet and be the one world religious ruler! He will not be a Christian or an Orthodox Jew! Christ will never be a political figure because when He returns the second time after the 7 year tribulation period He will be God as He was at His first coming! Political figures are always dependent on who puts them in office! They are controlled by the voters! God is never controlled by anyone and His decisions are always independent of any mortal. Hanukkah is upon us or the Festival of Lights! God did a miracle to defeat the enemies of the Jews! God did a bigger miracle to defeat sin and power of Satan over mortal men! The miracle star over Bethlehem was a light visible to only those who were looking for Him! Are you looking for Him? Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Signs in the Heavens! Matthew 24:29-31
Contrary to what is commonly believed, the magi did not arrive at the manger on the night of Christ’s birth; rather, they found the young Jesus and His parents living in a house (Matthew 2:11). This could have been nearly two years after Christ’s birth, since Herod–afraid of his own position as King was threatened–tried to have Jesus eliminated by killing all male children under the age of two (Matthew 2:16). It may be that the star first appeared over Bethlehem when the magi were in the East (Persia). From that distance, they would have not been able to distinguish the exact location but would have certainly have known to head west. They went to Israel’s capital city Jerusalem, a likely place to begin their search for the King of the Jews. It seems that the star may have disappeared by the time the magi reached Jerusalem but then reappeared when they began their (much shorter) journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, approximately 6 miles away. This view is supported by the fact that first, the magi had asked King Herod where the King of the Jews was born, which means the star wasn’t guiding them at that time (Matthew 2:2). And second, they rejoiced exceedingly when they saw the star (again) as they began their journey to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:10). After the magi had met Herod, the star went on before them to Bethlehem and stood over the location of Jesus. It seems to have led them to the very house that Jesus was in–not just the city. The magi already knew that Christ was in Bethlehem. This they had learned from Herod, who had learned it from the priests and scribes (Matthew 2:4-5,8). For a normal star, it would be impossible to determine which house is directly beneath it. The star over Christ may have been relatively near the surface of the earth so that the magi could discern the precise location of Christ. Whatever the exact mechanism, the fact that the star led the magi to Christ is evidence that the star was uniquely designed, made by God for a very special purpose. God can use extraordinary means for extraordinary purposes. Certainly the birth of our Lord was deserving of honor in the Heavens. It is fitting that God used a celestial object to announce the birth of Christ since “the heavens declare glory of God”___(Psalms 19:1). Source: Answers in Genesis. Comment: In verse 29 of Matthew was Jesus talking about the 7 year tribulation? Here are some signs listed in the Heavens at His second coming! The rapture has probably already happened before this event and these are the redeemed people that came to Christ during the tribulation period! The sun is darkened and the moon shall lose it’s light and the stars shall fall from Heaven! When the unbelievers shall see Him they shall mourn! The believers shall rejoice! Two different responses with two different outcomes! Then Christ shall gather the elect from the ends of the Heavens! Help us to shine His light into the earth before the opportunity for Salvation closes for men! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Groundwork for our U.S. Constitution!
This Bible is for the government of the people, by the people and for the people! John Wycliffe (1320-1384) He is most notably known as the Morning Star of the Reformation! He translated the Bible from Latin to English! He rejected the Doctrine of Transubstantiation! He sacrificed his life fighting for the common man and the abuses of the Clergy! Printing Bibles in English and getting them into the hands of the common man was a threat to the aristocracy! Thanks to John Wycliffe we have our English Bibles today! The principalities and powers of darkness declared John a heretic and dug up his corpse and burned it and scattered the ashes into the River Swift that flows through Butterworth England!
Christmas and Science! Micah 5:2 (800 B.C.)
Using astronomy software and an article written by astronomer Craig Chester and based on the work of Ernest Martin, Larson thinks all 9 characteristics of the star of Bethlehem are found in the events in the skies of 3-2 B.C. Highlights include a triple conjunction of Jupiter, called the King planet with the fixed star Regulus called the King star, starting in 3 B.C. Larson believes that may have been the time of Jesus conception. By June 2 B.C., nine months later, the human conception period, Jupiter had continued in its orbit around the sun and appeared in close conjunction to Venus in 2 B.C. In Hebrew Jupiter is called “Sedeq”, meaning “righteousness” a term used for the Messiah, and suggested that because the planet Venus represents love and fertility Chester believes astrologers would have viewed this as indicators of a coming new King of Israel and Herod would taken this seriously! Astronomer David Reneke independently found that in 2 B.C. planetary conjunction would have appeared as a “bright beacon of light.” Jupiter next continued to move and then stopped in its apparent retrograde motion on December 25th of 2 B.C. over the town of Bethlehem! Since planets in their orbits have a “stationary point”, a planet moves eastward through the stars but after passes the opposite point in the sky from the sun, it appears to slow, come to a full stop and moves backward(westward) for some weeks. Again it slows, stops and resumes its eastward course. The date December 25th that Jupiter appeared to stop while in retrograde took place in the season of Hanukkah and that date later was chosen to celebrate Christmas. Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
May The Force Be With You?
This was Hillary’s closing statement in the democratic debate last night? I expected the politically correct Happy Holidays but that did not happen either? What force is she talking about? The Air Force? The forced conversions to Islam? Is she talking about abortions? The forced removal of Crosses and Christmas Tree’s across America? The taking away of our guns? Is she talking about Herod who used force to murder all the children of Bethlehem two years and younger to kill baby Jesus? Is she talking about force used to murder 14 American’s at a Christmas party? She did not use any force to rescue our 4 American’s in Libya? Let me share a commentary on Star Wars. “The Force was a dark side, which feeds off emotions, such as anger, jealousy, fear, lust and hate. The Sith embraces the dark side in order to seize power.” Does God force Himself down our throats? Absolutely not! God is love! For God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son! When I was on my death bed as a young man in 1973 I knew it was my last night on earth! Believe me when it comes you will know! I called out to a name I really did not know? I had been taught in my childhood that his name was above every name! Jesus came into my hospital room that night and said just 3 words! God loves you! I walked out of that hospital room the next morning with a mission to tell the world about Jesus! Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump cannot save you! They cannot even save themselves! No man can save you! The Force cannot save you! Jesus can and will if you call on His name! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Blood Moon and Signs!
Scriptures: Joel 2:31, Matthew 24:29, Luke 21:25 and Revelation 6:12-13. A Blood Moon is a total lunar eclipse. The lunar tetrad is where four lunar eclipses happen six months apart. For example they have happened on April 15, 2014, October 8, 2014, April 4, 2015 and September 28, 2015. The two April eclipses have coincided with important Jewish Festivals. They occurred on Passover! The October and September eclipses occurred during the Festival of Tabernacles. Eight of the tetrads since the 1st century have coincided on Jewish Holidays! The word sign means to reveal the character and the truth of any person or thing. It is a mark or token. It is a memorial, monument or proof. Simply the signs in the sun, moon and stars is a reminder and confirmation of Jesus promises to us! It is a confirmation that His return is on schedule! His promises to us are revealed in the Heavens and on the earth! Whether the star over Bethlehem or the earth growing dark over Calvary His signs are everywhere! Look up for your redemption draweth nigh! Take comfort and trust your yesterday, today and forever with your Christ! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com